How to pronounce diminished
Say it like dih-MIN-isht. Diminished has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MIN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce diminished. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- MIN
- isht
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Diminished pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- MINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ishtKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of diminished
American and British speakers say diminished in essentially the same way: /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/ in the US and /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-MIN-isht.
What does diminished mean?
- impaired by diminution
- (of an organ or body part) diminished in size or strength as a result of disease or injury or lack of use“partial paralysis resulted in an atrophied left arm”
- (of musical intervals) reduction by a semitone of any perfect or minor musical interval“a diminished fifth”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with diminished
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of diminished.
Questions about saying diminished
How do you pronounce diminished?
Say dih-MIN-isht. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/. In British English it is /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in diminished?
Diminished has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MIN). Broken into parts: dih · MIN · isht.
Do Americans and Brits say diminished the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/ and the British form is /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.